


Second Chances

by starrnobella



Series: Interstellar Novella [67]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, Facebook: Hermione's Haven, First Dates, Hermione's Haven Bingo 2020, Hermione's Haven Roll-A-Drabble, Muggle Life, Muggle London, Soulmates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-21
Updated: 2020-07-21
Packaged: 2021-03-05 04:09:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,860
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25428205
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starrnobella/pseuds/starrnobella
Summary: It takes a reminder from someone on the outside looking in to be reminded of who you really are.
Relationships: Hermione Granger/Blaise Zabini
Series: Interstellar Novella [67]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/590830
Comments: 4
Kudos: 13
Collections: Hermione's Haven Bingo 2020, Hermione's Haven Roll-A-Drabble





	Second Chances

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: This was written for Hermione's Haven during #HHBingo20 and #RollADrabble in April. This story filled square B1 - "Stop thinking that other people are going to come and save you. You gotta save yourself." - Rae Earl. My roll a drabble prompt from Hermione's Haven was Blaise Zabini and Soulmate. I also had to include the following words: hamburger, torture, elegant, beer, deceive, frail, eagle, and release.
> 
> Beta work was done by xxDustNight88 and Grammarly and the only thing I own in this little tale is the plot.
> 
> Be sure to let me know what you think!
> 
> Love always,  
> ~starr

_It wasn't the job he always dreamed of having, but it was the job that paid the bills_ , Blaise Zabini thought to himself as he made his way across town from his flat to Honest Burger, the local hamburger joint where he had been working for the better part of a year now. During the last year, he had met many interesting people, and he was lucky enough to be reunited with someone from his past, Hermione Granger.

From the short conversations he would have with her when she came in to eat, Blaise had learned that after she graduated from Hogwarts, she decided to move to the city and take things easy. The Wizarding War had taken a lot out of her and left her feeling frail and defeated at times. That was the part that bothered Blaise.

She wasn't the Hermione that he remembered growing up with. She was weak, and it seemed as though she had given up the will to save herself. That was why Blaise took it upon himself to help remind her who she was, or at least let her know that there were people out there who thought she was the most amazing person on Earth.

He started simple. The first note he had ever left her at lunch was a note reminding her to smile. When she read it, he noticed a smile pulling at the corner of her lips. That smile told him that the old Hermione was still inside of her somewhere; he just needed to find a way to get it out.

More days passed and Hermione would come in each day to grab lunch in between her meetings for work. Blaise often found himself wondering if she loved the food or if she was coming to escape the torture of the real world. Or, maybe, she was coming in just to see him. At least that was what he kept telling himself as he walked up to the counter to take her order each day.

With each meal came a chance to leave her a note to make her smile and allow herself to release the inner demons that kept tormenting her as she lived in guilt for things that she had no control over. Blaise hated how hard she was on herself and just wanted to reach across the counter and shake her to remind her just how damn special she was to everyone, but especially to him.

Today things were going to change. Today he was going to take the biggest chance he had ever taken with these notes and ask her to join him for dinner tonight. All he could hope was that she would say yes and give him the chance to remind her who she was. With a smirk on his face, Blaise clocked into work. Today was going to be a good day.

. . . . . . . .

Hermione let out a heavy sigh as she pulled open the door to Honest Burger. Every time she turned around, someone was calling her name, and she needed a break away from the office. At least when someone called her name here, it would be to give her some food.

As she walked into the restaurant, she looked around to see which employees were working today. It was a Monday, which meant her favorite burger boy should be around somewhere. Her eyes scanned the crew behind the counter and saw a familiar face smiling at her. Mustering up all of her inner strength, Hermione painted a smile on her face and walked up to the counter.

"Welcome to Honest Burger, my name is Blaise, may I take your order?" he asked, flashing a smile in her direction. "How are you doing today, Hermione?"

"Hey Blaise," she said, looking up at the menu for a moment. "Can I get a Fritter to go? I'm doing alright, happy to be out of the office for a few minutes. How are you doing?"

"I can't complain. One Fritter to go coming right up," Blaise replied, nodding his head. "Go ahead and grab a seat. I'll bring it out when it's ready."

"Thanks, Blaise," Hermione said, tucking a stray curl behind her ear as she walked away from the counter. She found an available table near the window at the end of the counter and took a seat. From here, she could see Blaise working on her lunch, and maybe she could get a sneak peek at the message he would leave for her.

Hermione reached down into her bag and pulled out a book as she settled into her chair. This would probably be the only time she would have to get a few pages read today. It only took a few moments for her to be so lost in words on the page that time just slipped away.

Blaise looked over at Hermione's table and noticed her nose stuck in a book. He chuckled softly to himself. "So the old Hermione's still in there somewhere," he mumbled, shaking his head as he finished packaging up her lunch. He grabbed a sharpie off the counter and scribbled his note across the top of her to-go bag.

He took a deep breath and made his way over to her table. Tapping her gently on the shoulder, he placed the bag in front of her and smiled as she turned up to look at him.

"You startled me," she giggled, closing her finger in her book. "You didn't have to bring my food to the table; you could have just called my name out like normal."

"I did," Blaise replied, shrugging his shoulders. "I guess you were so engrossed in your book that you just didn't hear me."

"You what?" Hermione asked, her cheeks flushed with color as her eyes went wide. "How did I not hear you?"

Blaise bit his lip to keep from laughing as he walked around the table and took a seat across from her. "I'm kidding," he admitted. "I wanted to bring your lunch out to you."

Hermione narrowed her gaze at him and reached across the table to smack him in the shoulder. "Don't you ever deceive me like that again, Blaise Zabini!"

"I promise to never do it again, Mia," Blaise replied, smirking as he watched her bashfully pull her hand back across the table. "Does everything look okay with your lunch?"

She cocked her head to the side and looked at him for a few moments before directing her attention to the bag in front of her. She noticed a note scribbled across the top of the bag in black marker.

_Will you join me for dinner tonight at the Eagle's Nest?_

_\- BZ_

She reread the note quietly to herself before looking up at her friend sitting across the table from her with a nervous look upon his face. "Is this for real?" she asked softly.

Blaise nodded his head slowly. "All of those notes I've been leaving weren't just friendly compliments. I've found myself thinking about you a lot lately, and I'd like to get to know you better if that's okay with you."

Hermione smiled and nodded her head. "I'd love to have dinner with you tonight at the Eagle's Nest. I'll meet you there around seven?"

"I'll be the one in the suit waiting at the bar," Blaise replied, rising from his chair and making his way back to the counter.

Hermione blushed as she watched him walk away. She reached down into her purse and pulled out her mobile, sending a quick text off to her boss to let him know that she would not be returning to the office. _A better offer had come up_ , she thought to herself as she looked up and noticed Blaise staring at her from behind the counter. Tonight was going to be a night to remember.

. . . . . . . .

Blaise adjusted the lapels of his suit jacket for the umpteenth time as he waited at the bar for Hermione to arrive. Every time he heard the door open, his heart would start to race as he turned to the door, watching for Hermione to come walking through the door. As nervous as he was for this date, he was just as excited to spend this quality one on one time with her outside of Honest Burger.

"Can I get you something to drink?" the bartender asked, pulling his attention away from the door.

Blaise turned and smiled, nodding his head. "A beer would be great, thanks."

"One beer coming right up," he replied, glancing past Blaise towards the door. "I think your date just walked in."

"Thanks," Blaise said, spinning on his heel quickly toward the door. A wide smile pulled at his lips as Hermione walked through the double doors at the front of the restaurant. She looked elegant in her black dress. It swayed as she walked towards him and clung perfectly to every curve of her body.

She smiled when she saw him looking at her and taking a few steps in her direction. "Hey stranger," she whispered, reaching up and wrapping her arms around his neck to hug him. "Do I look okay?"

"You look beautiful," Blaise replied, wrapping his arms around her waist and squeezing her tight. He basked in their embrace for a few moments before pulling back to take another look at her. " _Bellissimo_."

Hermione's cheeks flushed pink at the compliment as she tucked her head into her shoulder.

Blaise caught her chin with his finger and turned her face back to look at him. "Why do you hide when someone compliments you?"

Hermione looked at him for a few moments and shrugged. "I don't know. I guess I just don't see what you see."

"Why not?" he asked, cupping her cheek softly. "You're gorgeous. Intelligent. Kind-hearted. Should I continue?" He brushed his thumb along her cheek and smiled as she smiled at him.

"No," she replied, rolling her eyes as she pulled away from his hand. "You've made your point."

"Have I though?" Blaise asked, cocking his head to the side. "I think somewhere along the line since the war; you forgot just how special Hermione Jean Granger is. I've been trying to remind you since you showed up in London, but I can't keep doing it alone. You need to find it inside of yourself."

She opened her mouth to respond but closed it almost immediately. Blaise wasn't the first person in her life to point out that she's changed. She hung her head with a sigh. "You're right."

"I'm what?" Blaise asked, coughing as he attempted to swallow a sip of his beer. "Did I just get told I was right by the Gryffindor princess?"

"What did you just call me?" she asked, raising an eyebrow at him.

"How about if I call you my princess?" Blaise asked, reaching down to take her hand.

"Sweet talker," Hermione scoffed, shaking her head as she interlaced her fingers with his. "You're lucky I like you, or I might not have shown up tonight."

"Well, I'm glad you did," Blaise said, leaning down to press a gentle kiss to her cheek.


End file.
